Documentation

Overview

The SNAP Policy Database provides a central source of information on State policy choices over time. The database draws on policy information from a wide variety of sources, including surveys by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), national and State policy research organizations, State policy manuals, and news articles. Data are provided for all 50 States and the District of Columbia, for each month from January 1996 through December 2011.

The variables in the database cover eligibility criteria, recertification and reporting requirements, benefit issuance methods, availability of online applications, use of biometric technology, and coordination with other low-income assistance programs. Definitions and coding conventions for each variable in the data set are detailed below.

Missing and imputed values

Missing values indicate that no information is available on State implementation of the policy. Missing values are denoted by a blank cell in the Excel worksheet. For variables that are derived primarily from FNS’s annual State Options Reports, ERS assumed that any policy changes between reports occurred at the midpoint of the two reports. These imputations were applied to the following variables: call, cap, compdq, oapp, oapp_esig, vehexclall, vehexclamt, and vehexclone. Further details about the imputations are available upon request.

Identifying Variables

state_fips

Definition: The State FIPS (Federal Information Processing) code.

Coding description: range = 1, 56.

state_pc

Definition: The State postal code.

Coding description: string variable.

statename

Definition: Nameof the State.

Coding description: string variable.

yearmonth

Definition: A six-digit integer (YYYYMM) indicating the month and year of the observation.

Coding description: range = 199601, 201112.

Policy Variables

bbce

Definition: The State uses broad-based categorical eligibility to increase or eliminate the asset test and/or to increase the gross income limit for virtually all SNAP applicants.

Coding description: range = 0, 1, where 0 = no and 1 = yes.

bbce_asset

Definition: The State eliminates the asset test under broad-based categorical eligibility.

noncitadultfull

Definition: All legal noncitizen adults (age 18-64) who satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and asset limits are eligible for Federal SNAP benefits or State-funded food assistance.

Coding description: range = 0, 1, where 0 = no and 1 = yes.

noncitadultpart

Definition: Some, but not all, legal noncitizen adults (age 18-64) who satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and asset limits are eligible for Federal SNAP benefits or State-funded food assistance.

Coding description: range = 0, 1, where 0 = no and 1 = yes.

noncitchildfull

Definition: All legal noncitizen children (age < 18) who satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and asset limits are eligible for Federal SNAP benefits or State-funded food assistance.

Coding description: range = 0, 1, where 0 = no and 1 = yes.

noncitchildpart

Definition: Some, but not all, legal noncitizen children (age < 18) who satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and asset limits are eligible for Federal SNAP benefits or State-funded food assistance.

Coding description: range = 0, 1, where 0 = no and 1 = yes.

nonciteldfull

Definition: All legal noncitizen elderly (age ≥ 65) who satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and asset limits are eligible for Federal SNAP benefits or State-funded food assistance.

Coding description: range = 0, 1, where 0 = no and 1 = yes.

nonciteldpart

Definition: Some, but not all, legal noncitizen elderly (age ≥ 65) who satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements such as income and asset limits are eligible for Federal SNAP benefits or State-funded food assistance.

Coding description: range = 0, 1, where 0 = no and 1 = yes.

oapp

Definition: The State allows households to submit a SNAP application online.